My take on Technology

Once you have taken the backup of your linux partitions, copied your conf files and probably files stored in you /home/, time to start the upgrade process.

Once you pop in your bootable disk, u get a prompt. Pressing "Enter" takes you to default install mode using DVD or CD media (relevant in fc, RHEL, Suse). Type > linux askmethod.This will ask you your preferred choice of install.

Some common choices are :

CD/DVD

FTP

NFS

HTTP

Hard disk

The first and last are the fastest. Rest depends on you network and internet speed. Before choosing these options, test the network speed. Some mirrors are too slow and your installation process may take ages.

Sometimes doing a media check when you select CD/DVD is recommended. If your disk sector is corrupt, installation may stall abruptly after n% installed. Keep in mind that the boot loader is installed only after the installation completes. Incomplete installs may wipe your mbr leading to the system not knowing where to find your Windows OS on the next bootup. Trust me, its not what you would want.